Hugh Cornwell

Acting

Hugh Cornwell

Born 1949-08-28 · Tufnell Park, London, England, UK

Hugh Alan Cornwell (born 28 August 1949) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and writer, best known for being the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for the punk rock and new wave band the Stranglers from 1974 to 1990. Since leaving the Stranglers, Cornwell has recorded a further ten solo studio albums and continues to record and perform live. Cornwell grew up in Tufnell Park and Kentish Town and attended William Ellis School in Highgate, where he played bass in a band with Richard Thompson, later a member of folk rock band Fairport Convention. In the late 1960s, after earning a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from the University of Bristol, he embarked on post-graduate research at Lund University in Sweden. Not long after his arrival he formed the band Johnny Sox. Cornwell returned to the UK in 1974 with Johnny Sox (minus Hans Wärmling). Drummer Jet Black then joined the band. At one stage it was just Cornwell and Black, who were then joined by bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel. Guitarist, keyboardist and saxophonist Hans Wärmling, on holiday from Sweden, joined the line-up towards the end of 1974. The Johnny Sox name was dropped, with the band adopting the name the Guildford Stranglers before settling on the Stranglers. Wärmling was soon replaced by Dave Greenfield, who joined in 1975 after answering an advertisement placed in the Melody Maker magazine. Cornwell was the lead guitarist in the group and he also sang the majority of songs, with Burnel handling lead vocals on about a third of the band's songs. Years later, Burnel recalled that he often sang lyrics written by Cornwell, and vice versa, depending on "who had the best voice for that particular song". By 1977, the group had secured a recording contract with United Artists Records. They went on to become the most commercially successful band to emerge from the UK punk scene, with numerous hit singles and record albums. He recorded his first studio album away from the group, Nosferatu, in collaboration with the Captain Beefheart's Magic Band's drummer, Robert Williams, in 1979. Cornwell's first solo studio album, Wolf (1988) was produced by Ian Ritchie with additional production on two tracks by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, who had engineered the first three Stranglers albums and produced their fourth studio album, The Raven (1979). Throughout his Stranglers career, Hugh used a Black Fender Telecaster all the way from 1974 until 1989 when he adopted a Gibson Melody Maker for the 10 Tour. Hugh also used a Hofner Razorwood for the La Folie Tour in 1981-82 for certain songs which required distinctive sounds. He also used a Bass guitar when performing Dead Loss Angeles on The Raven tour in 1979 and was instrumental in teaching Stranglers bassist Jean Jacques Burnel how to play bass guitar. In 1990, due to growing tensions within the band and a constant clash with Jean Jacques Burnel, he decided that he could go no further artistically. He recorded the album 10 with the band before leaving them after 16 years. ... Source: Article "Hugh Cornwell" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Acting credits

The Stranglers poster
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BBC Choice documentary the story of The Stranglers, charting the band's rise to fame in the 1980s to present day. Despite the departure of lead singer and frontman Hugh Cornwell in 1990, the band continue to perform successfully to thousands of fans all over the world. Interviews with members of The Stranglers. Presented by jazz singer and art critic, George Melly.

The Stranglers

2000

Eat the Rich poster
6.2

Alex is a disgruntled waiter at a snobby exclusive restaurant who falls on hard times. Forced to deal with the contempt and disgust of the upper class, Alex & cohorts attempt to go on a rampage. Meanwhile, General Karprov and Spider plot to involve the inept anarchists into their plans to derail the prime-minister-to-be's campaign.

Eat the Rich

1987

Blueprint poster
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Blueprint is a film documenting the making of Hugh Cornwell's album Hooverdam. The film, which includes live studio performances and interviews, was filmed at Toerag Studios where the album was recorded. It also features an in-depth interview with BBC broadcaster Robert Elms.

Blueprint

2008

The Bleeding Star poster
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An Englishman arrives in a remote French town near the coast to collect his broken-down car. What he sees there will change his life forever.

The Bleeding Star

1987

Somewhere poster
8.0

A disturbing glimpse of the future of internet gaming and how far people will go for fame.

Somewhere

2005

Lucky Sunil poster
7.0

Young, handsome and alone in London at the start of a great career. But will Sunil's luck hold out against the seductions of pretty girls, the wiles of con-men and a hundred temptations of the great city?

Lucky Sunil

1988

My View: Clem Burke poster
8.0

An access all areas documentary with Clem Burke, a look back at 40 years on the road and performing with one of the worlds most iconic bands. Clem Burke is the drummer behind multi-platinum selling band BLONDIE. His signature beats have brought millions to the dance floor and his unique approach to playing has seen him accompany an endless list of artists from Bob Dylan to The Eurythmics. We follow Clem on the road, playing as hard as ever in this access all areas documentary. Feel the energy behind the kit as Clem plays with Blondie at Hyde park to 80,000 people and witness his tireless work ethic at The Cavern Club for Beatles week, where he plays 5 gigs in 24 hrs. Exclusive interviews from Dave Stewart, Chris Stein, Hugh Cornwall, Glen Matlock, Bob Gruen and many more put the spotlight on one of rock 'n' rolls most enigmatic unsung heroes - Clem Burke the Doctor of Rock.

My View: Clem Burke

2019

No Nukes! muziekfestival poster
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No synopsis available yet.

No Nukes! muziekfestival

1982

Hugh Cornwell: Live in Paris at MCM Cafe poster
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Hugh Cornwell performance in 1996 during the period of his album Guilty.

Hugh Cornwell: Live in Paris at MCM Cafe

1996

The Stranglers - Live in Madrid poster
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The Stranglers’ live performance in Madrid on 18 November 1986, recorded at Estación de Perpignan during their Dreamtime Tour.

The Stranglers - Live in Madrid

1986

One For My Baby poster
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A BAFTA award nominated drama.

One For My Baby

1985

Stranglers in the Night poster
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The French TV series Les Enfants du Rock produced a documentary on The Stranglers during the release of their eighth studio album, Aural Sculpture. Being a French production, the film leans heavily on Jean-Jacques Burnel, featuring moments such as him performing “Euroman” from his solo career, teaching a karate class, and even strolling the streets in drag. The documentary captures a unique and engaging portrait of the band: Jet Black delivers reflective monologues straight to camera, Hugh Cornwell is interviewed mid-workout, Dave Greenfield demonstrates how he can program his keyboard to “answer” interview questions, and the band is even shown selling their own Strangled magazine on a street corner. Songs performed are Punch and Judy, Aural Sculpture Manifesto, London Lady, Midnight Summer Dream, Euroman (JJ Solo), Strange, Little Girl, Uptown and Paradise

Stranglers in the Night

1985

The Colour Black poster
NR

A documentary made for BBC West in 1982, written and presented by Hugh Cornwell and Jet Black of The Stranglers. It focuses on the colour black and includes the Meninblack phenomenon and some Stranglers of course.

The Colour Black

1982

The Stranglers: Screentime poster
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The Stranglers first ever VHS with music videos for European Female, Midnight Summer Dream, All Roads Lead to Rome, Skin Deep, No Mercy, Nice in Nice and Always the Sun.

The Stranglers: Screentime

1986

Hugh Cornwell: Anthology - Aberdeen Acoustic poster
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Recorded at The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen in December 2013, and features a song from every Stranglers studio album up to 1990 and a song from every Hugh Cornwell studio album.

Hugh Cornwell: Anthology - Aberdeen Acoustic

2015

The Stranglers - Live '78, SF poster
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The Stranglers playing live in San Francisco 1978.

The Stranglers - Live '78, SF

1978

The Stranglers: The Raven Tour live in Paris poster
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The Stranglers perform live at Théâtre de l’Empire in Paris 1979.

The Stranglers: The Raven Tour live in Paris

1979

"The Journey", or The Memoirs of a Self-Confessed Surrealist poster
6.0

George Melly explores his lifelong relationship with surrealism in all its forms and prominent personalities.

"The Journey", or The Memoirs of a Self-Confessed Surrealist

1978

The Stranglers: Live at Alexandra Palace poster
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On 11th August 1990, what began as just another Stranglers gig at Alexandra Palace became their final performance with founding member and frontman Hugh Cornwell. Fortunately, the night was captured on film, preserving a piece of music history for fans to experience again and again.

The Stranglers: Live at Alexandra Palace

1990

Hugh Cornwell Songbook poster
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Hugh talking about career and playing a handful of acoustic tracks.

Hugh Cornwell Songbook

2008

The Stranglers: Never To Look Back - The Video Collection 1983-2012 poster
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Featuring twenty-two music videos from 1983 - 2012

The Stranglers: Never To Look Back - The Video Collection 1983-2012

2012

The Stranglers: Death + Night + Blood poster
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A completed 2019 British music documentary about The Stranglers. It was publicly premiered once, but still unreleased because of unresolved permissions, music-rights and financial negotiations. it has never received a normal commercial, DVD or streaming release.

The Stranglers: Death + Night + Blood

2019

Rockstage: The Stranglers poster
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The Stranglers in concert at the Royal Theatre, Nottingham and broadcast via the ITV network

Rockstage: The Stranglers

1981

The Stranglers - Feline European Tour - Live in Hamburg poster
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No synopsis available yet.

The Stranglers - Feline European Tour - Live in Hamburg

1983

Behind the camera